Three-way recliner chairs are typically equipped with at least two links mounting the seat and backrest assembly on the base for movement to TV position and beyond into advanced reclining positions. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,585 to Rogers. In some cases, the seat and backrest are mounted to a carrier link which, in turn, is mounted or suspended from a base. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,108,491 and 4,071,275 to Rogers. Additionally included in such chairs of the prior art is a backrest linkage which mounts the backrest to the seat and/or base while also serving to place the chair into advanced reclining positions upon application of pressure to the backrest when the chair is in or beyond TV position.
Reduction of the number of links in recliner chair mechanisms to reduce manufacturing costs is an ever-present goal in the industry. However, in many instances, such reduction is not attainable because it results in a sacrifice of performance of the chair and/or a weakening of the structural strength of the linkage mechanism.
As will be seen below, the present invention is addressed to integrating the mounting and backrest links in a three-way recliner chair to minimize the number of links required to achieve the functions of these parts and yet, without sacrificing quality of performance or the strength of the linkage mechanism.